Study Design and Methodology
These resources, while developed with the postdoctoral trainee in mind, are useful to a broader group of individuals, including medical residents, study coordinators, and nursing or allied health students.
| On-campus Instructional Opportunities | Online Resources |
On-campus Instructional Opportunities:
| Credit | Non-Credit |
BMI 542: Introduction to Clinical Trials I
3 credits; spring
Intended for biomedical researchers interested in the design and analysis of clinical trials. Topics include definition of hypotheses, measures of effectiveness, sample size, randomization, data collection and monitoring, and issues in statistical analysis. Statistics graduate students should take Stat 641.
P: Stat 541 or equiv or cons inst.
ED PSYCH 760: Statistical Methods Applied to Education I
3 credits; fall
Introductory descriptive statistics and statistical inference; measures of central tendency and variability, confidence intervals, theory of hypothesis testing, correlation techniques.
ED PSYCH 761: Statistical Methods Applied to Education II
3 credits; spring
Analysis of variance and covariance, multiple linear regression; chi-square and various nonparametric techniques.
P: Ed Psych 760 or Psych 210.
FAM MED 701: Perspectives in Multidisciplinary Clinical and Translational Research
2 credits; fall
An overview of clinical investigation, including translational research; observational, experimental and quasi experimental designs; efficacy and effectiveness; behavioral and community interventions; qualitative methods; educational research; quality assurance; health economics; bioethics; pharmacotherapy trials; health disparities, and patents.
P: Introductory statistics course
NURSING 701: Interpretive Research in Health Care Settings
3 credits; fall, spring and summer (distance ed. option available in summer)
This course is designed to introduce graduate students to a variety of interpretive research methods and to explore how these methods have been/could be used to examine health care in general and nursing care in particular.
P: Master's level or above.
NURSING 801: Grounded Theory Methodology: Foundations and Practice
3 credits; semester unknown
This course is designed to explore the intellectual roots of the grounded theory method, its recent evolution, and provide the student hands-on practice designing a study and collecting and analyzing data.
P: Nursing 701 or equiv & experience conducting field research. Students must have access to ongoing data collection.
NURSING 803: Advanced Research Design and Methods I
3 credits; fall
First of a two-course sequence. In the first semester students explore the relationship between research paradigms and research design, become familiar with various research methods and methodologies and select appropriate research designs for their research problems.
P: A graduate level course in research design & an intro course in statistics or cons inst.
NURSING 804: Advanced Research Design and Methods II
3 credits; spring
Second of a two-course sequence. In the second semester students critique the relationship between research paradigms and research design, become familiar with advanced research methods and methodologies and apply appropriate research designs for their research problems.
P: Nursing 803 or cons inst.
NURSING 816: Proseminar in Nursing Research
1 credit; fall and spring
Bi-weekly discussion of current topics in nursing research, especially as illustrated by the ongoing research of graduate students and faculty in nursing. Emphasizes peer review of faculty and student research. Two semesters are required in the first year of doctoral study.
P: Grad student or cons inst.
NURSING 818: Patient-Centered Research
3 credits; semester unknown
Course addresses conceptual and methodological perspectives in patient-centered research, from development through testing and implementation of interventions. Attention is given to various conceptualizations of patient-centeredness, to behavioral and physiological origins, and to the trajectory of testing such interventions.
P: Nursing 815 & a graduate level research methods course or cons inst.
POP HLTH/SOC 797: Introduction to Epidemiology
3 credits; fall
Lectures and discussions on design, implementation and interpretation of epidemiologic studies; emphasis on methodologic problems in the measurement of disease frequency, natural history and risk factors.
P: Grad st in clinical/life science or cons inst.
POP HLTH 798: Epidemiologic Methodology
3 credits; spring
Design and implementation of epidemiologic research, including sample selection, recruitment, data collection and management. Strategies to address methodologic limitations are emphasized.
P: Grad stdt in population health & Prev Med 797; or cons inst.
POP HLTH 802: Advanced Epidemiology: Etiology and Prevention
3 credits; fall
The course addresses the epidemiological basis for understanding the etiology and prevention of major diseases. Students integrate information about disease patterns, epidemiological methods, and published studies to identify research questions and design a project.
P: Grad st, Pop Hlth 797 & 798; or cons inst.
SOC 751: Survey Methods for Social Research
3 credits; semester unknown
Theoretical and practical issues involved in the design of surveys and their components. Students apply knowledge of survey research techniques to a specific and complete research project.
P: Grad student and Soc 361 or equiv.
SOC 752: Measurement and Questionnaires for Survey Research
3 credits; semester unknown
Analysis and presentation of survey results through contingency table analysis. Techniques for assessing the quality of data produced by survey methods. Practical application of course material to a specific research problem through research reports and other exercises involving data analysis on a topic of the student's choice.
P: Soc 751 or permission of instructor.
SOC 755: Methods of Qualitative Research
3 credits; semester unknown (Crosslisted with Ed Pol, Rur Soc)
Introduces qualitative, or ethnographic, research methods, emphasizing those suitable for educational and other organizational settings. Considers strengths and limitations of qualitative approaches in relation to varied research problems. Explores methodological procedures from entry into the field through writing.
P: Cons inst.
ICTR Short Course in Clinical Research
ICTR Clinical Research Study Design Workshop Series
Online Resources:
UW-Madison Graduate School Ethical Principles website
http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/research/policyrp/ethicsguidance.html
Ethical Principles, Federal & State Law
NIH Clinical Center: Introduction to the Principles and Practice of Clinical Research
Video archives of 2007-2008 course presentations are available for viewing at:
http://www.nihtraining.com/cc/ippcr/archive07f/menu.html
Site for information about the current NIH IPPCR course:
http://www.cc.nih.gov/training/training/ippcr/info.html
The Introduction to the Principles and Practice of Clinical Research (IPPCR) is a study curriculum on how to effectively conduct clinical research. The program trains researchers in how to design a successful clinical trial by focusing on epidemiologic methods, study design, protocol preparation, patient monitoring, quality assurance, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issues. Other areas covered include data management and ethical issues, including protection of human subjects. Videos include captions. Links to presentation materials are also provided.
NIH Clinical Center: Ethical and regulatory aspects of clinical research
http://www.bioethics.nih.gov/hsrc
Video archives of presentations from the previous years of this course are available for viewing at:
http://videocast.nih.gov/PastEvents.asp?c=22
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Utilize a systematic framework for evaluating the ethics of a clinical research protocol.
- Apply appropriate codes, regulations, and other documents governing the ethical conduct of human subject research to their own research.
- Discuss controversial issues relating to human subject research, including Phase 1 research, randomization, children in research, international research, etc.
- Identify the critical elements of informed consent and strategies for implementing informed consent for clinical research.
- Describe the purpose, function, and challenges of IRBs.
- Appreciate the experience of human subjects who have participated in research protocols.
Background Requirements: There are no background requirements in terms of education, knowledge, or experience; just an interest in clinical research with human subjects. This course is readily accessible to the non-medically trained as well as to those in the field of scientific research. As a rule, background education includes a mix of MD, PhD, RN, MPH, SW, MPH, and BA/BS.
